Tank construction



M14, 1941. H, SCHMIDT TANK CONSTRUCTION Filed June 3, 1958 Patented Jan. 14, 1941 PATENT OFFICE TANK CONSTRUCTION Henry Schmidt, Wilmette, Ill., assignor to International Harvester Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application June 3, 1938, SerialNo. 211,640

13 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for draining the dry tank of a refrigerating unit. More speciflcally it relates to a special form of drain body for draining both a dry tank and a refrigerating tank within which the dry tank is positioned.

In refrigerator constructions where there is a dry tank positioned within another tank containing a cooling fluid, it is often necessary to drain both the outer tank of cooling fluid as well as to drain the inner tank of any condensation or water or other fluid used for cleaning. It is possible to provide separate drain systems for each tank, but in this case the apparatus involved may become complicated and unwieldy. It is desirable to make any fittings for draining as compact and simple in construction as possible and yet capable of easy installation.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved drain body for the dry tank and cooling tank of a refrigerator.

A further object is the provision of a compact and simplified drain construction for a pair of tanks, one within the other.

Another object is to provide an improved refrigerator construction involving a compact and simplified drain body.

Other objects will appear from the disclosure.

According to the present invention, a dry tank is positioned within another tank containing a cooling fluid. There are drain openings in each tank. A drain fitting connects each opening and has a separate opening for a drain pipe within the outer tank. There are pipe connections engaging the opening in the outer tank, an outer pipe communicating with the drain pipe for the outer, and an inner pipe communicating with the opening in the drain body from the inner dry tank. These pipes extend out beyond the insulation for the outer tank and have control valves at their ends.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a section taken along the line l--l of Figure 2, showing the connection of a novel drain body to the drain openings in an inner dry tank and an outer refrigerating tank;

Figure 2 is a section taken along the lines 2-2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the novel drain body;

Figure 4 is a top view of the drain body; and,

Fig. 5 is a bottom View of the drain body.

An outer tank [0 has an exterior covering ll of any suitable insulating material, such as cork, encased within a shell l2 There is an inner dry tank l3 within the outer tank I0 and a cooling fluid space M between the tanks. The inner dry tank l3 has a drain opening IE, to which is suitably joined, as by soldering or welding, a flange member IT. A securing nut I8 is positioned within the flange member I1, having a through opening iii, the upper portion of which is'square in section, as at 20, for the reception of an inserting tool. A threaded portion 22 extends through and beyond the flange member I! into' engagement with a novel drain body 25.

This drain body, which may be formed of cast metal, is shown separately in Figures 3, 4 and 5. It includes a short circular section 23, exteriorly threaded. There is a circular threaded opening 21 in this section eccentrically positioned with respect to the outer surface. There is also a passage 28 extending through the short circular section 26 at a part where the distance between the opening 21 and the surface of the circular section is the greatest. Extendingupwardly from the passage 28 is a pipe or tubular section having a first portion 30, generally parallel to the axis of the circular portion 26, a second portion 3| extending at right angles to the axis of the circular section and away from it substantially beyond the outer surface of the circular section, and a portion 32 extending parallel to the axis of the circular section and threaded, as at 33, for reception of the threaded section 22 of the nut I9. From the opposite side of the short circular section 26, a tubular or pipe section extends which is composed of a short portion 35 extending generally parallel to the axis of the tubular section 3 26 and another portion 36 extending toward the axis of the short tubular section. This portion 36 extends at a substantial angle to the portion 3|, as seen in Figures 4 and 5. This second pipe section lies entirely within the largest diameter 0 of the short tubular section 26, for a purpose later to be described.

The tubular section 26 extends through an opening 38 in the outer tank Ill and is threaded within a fitting 39 suitably secured, as by soldering or welding, to the exterior surface of the tank Hi and positioned within the layer of insulation around the tank III. A drain pipe 4| is threaded into engagement with the opening 21 in the short circular section 26. A pipe 42 is connected to the end of the fitting 39 and extends out beyond the shell l2, being welded or soldered thereto by means of a ring member 43. A fitting 44 engages the end of the pipe 42 and has a valve 45 attached thereto.

Extending within the pipe 42 into a threaded engagement with the portion 36 of the fitting 25 is a pipe 41. The outer end of the pipe 41 is supported by means of a nut 48 in the fitting 44 and has a valve 49 attached to it.

The operation of the novel drain body in relation to the refrigerant containing tank I0 and the dry tank l3 may be seen from Figure 1. Articles to be cooled are placed in the dry tank l3 and cooling is effected by the fluid between the tanks. When the fluid exceeds a certain amount, the excess fluid will pass out through the drain 4|, fitting 39, pipe 42, fitting 44, and valve 45. Any condensation in the dry tank l3 or fluid used in cleaning the tank will pass oif through the drain body 25, pipe 41, and valve 49. If it is desired todrain the tank l0 completely of refrigerant, the overflow pipe 4| is removed.

With the above described arrangement of separate drains, drainin of the two tanks may be effected separately and at difierent times, and yet the draining structure is compact and simple.

This draining structure is also of advantage because it can be easily assembled and disassembled. For disassembling, the drain pipe 4| is unscrewed and removed. This is easily accomplished, because, as seen in Figure 2, the inner dry tank |3 does not extend over the threaded opening 21 of the drain body 25, which receives the end of the over-flow pipe 4|. Then, the nut I9 is unscrewed from its connection with the portion 32 of the drain body, any suitable removing tool having a square head to fit the square opening 20 in the nut being employed. Then, the pipe 41, nut 48, and valve 49 are removed. Then, the drain body 25 is unscrewed from the fitting 39. This can be done without the drain body striking the walls of the tank II], as will be evident from the circle 5|, which describes the path of the outermost point of the fitting as it is unscrewed. As previously described, the portions 35 and 36 of the drain body 25, extending below the short tubular section 26, are entirely within the outer diameters of the tubular section 26, and thus may be pulled through the opening in the fitting 39 and the drain opening 38 in the tank Ill. Assembly of the tanks and the drain body is accomplished by reversing the order of steps.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that an improved refrigerator tank construction has been provided, which includes a novel drain body. It is also apparent that the drain body is not limited in use to refrigerator tank constructions, but may be used wherever separate drains are to be provided.

The intention is to limit the invention only within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A fitting formed of cast metal comprising a circular section exteriorly threaded and having a first circular opening extending therethrough also threaded and eccentrically positioned with respect to the exterior surface and a second opening extending through the circular section at a portion where there is the greatest width between the circular opening and the exterior surface, a first pipe section extending from the second opening on one side of the circular opening first parallel to the axis of the circular section then at right angles thereto and away therefrom and finally parallel thereto with an internal thread at the end, and a second pipe section extending from the second opening on the opposite side of the short circular section first parallel to the axis of the circular section and then toward the axis and being internally threaded at the end, the said second pipe section being entirely within the extension of the outer surface of the short circular section.

,2. A fitting comprising a circular section exteriorly threaded and having a first threaded opening extending therethrough and a second 10 opening also extending therethrough, a first pipe section extending from the second opening on one side of the circular section first parallel to the axis thereof, then at right angles thereto and away therefrom, and finally parallel thereto with an internal thread in the end of the pipe section, and a second pipe section extending from the second opening on the opposite side of the circular section first generally parallel to the axis thereof and then at right angles thereto and toward it considerably out of parallel with the portion of the first pipe section at right angles to the axis of the circular section, said second pipe section being entirely within the extension of the exterior surface of the circular section.

3. A fitting comprising a short exteriorly threaded section having a threaded opening and another opening extending therethrough, a first pipe section extending from the said other opening on one side of the short threaded section substantially beyond the largest diameter thereof and terminating in a portion substantially parallel to the axis of the short threaded section, and a second pipe section extending from the said other opening on the opposite side of the short section and terminating in a portion extending generally at right angles to the axis of the short threaded section and generally toward the axis thereof.

4. In combination, a first tank having an opening therein, a second tank positioned within the first tank in spaced relation thereto and having an opening considerably out of alinement with the opening in the first tank, and a fitting having a first section engaging the opening in the outer tank and provided with a pair of openings and having a first pipe section extending fro-m one opening at one side of the first section beyond the largest outer diameter of the first section into engagement with the opening in the inner tank, and having a second pipe section extending from the same opening at the opposite side of the first section and being entirely within the largest diameter of the first section and terminating in a portion extending generally at right angles to the openings in the first section.

5. In combination, a first tank having an opening in one wall thereof spaced a certain distance from one adjacent wall, a second tank positioned within the first tank in spaced relation thereto and having an opening in a surface generally parallel to the surface having the opening in the first tank, the opening in the wall of the second tank being ofiset from the opening in the wall of the first tank an amount no greater than the distance between the opening in the wall of the first tank and the closest wall thereof, a fitting having a first section engaging the opening in the outer tank, provided with a pair of openings, and having a first pipe section extending from one opening at one side of the first section outwardly beyond the open ing in the one wall of the outer tank an amount no greater than the distance between said opening and the nearest wall of the tank into engagement with the opening in the inner tank, and a pipe positioned between the tanks and engaging the other opening of the first section of the fitting.

6. In combination, a pair of tanks positioned one within the other and each having an opening in one wall, and a pipe fitting engaging and connecting the two openings and having an Opening in the portion engaging the outer tank separate from the portion of the pipe fitting connecting the two openings in the tanks, and a pipe positioned between the tanks and engaging the said opening in the pipe fitting.

7. In combination, a pair of tanks positioned one within the other in spaced relation and each having an opening in one wall, a first fitting engaging the openings in the tanks with a through passage extending between the tanks and a separate opening in the portion engaging the opening in the outer tank, a pipe extending in the space between the tanks engaging the opening in the fitting, a second fitting engaging the opening in the outer tank at the exterior thereof and being in communication with the opening through the first fitting, and a third fitting positioned within the second fitting in engagement with the first fitting and communicating with the passage from the inner tank.

8. In combination, a pair of tanks positioned one within the other, and each having a drain opening, there being a space between the tanks, draining means for the outer tank engaging the drain opening therein and. extending exteriorly thereof, draining means for the inner tank engaging the drain opening in the inner tank and extending through the draining means for the outer tank, and conduit means engaging the drain opening in the outer tank and extending in the space between the tanks.

9. In combination, an outer tank having a drain opening and a substantial layer of insulation on the outside of the tank, an inner tank positioned within and in spaced relation to the outer tank at least partially uncovering the drain opening in the outer tank and also having a drain opening, a drain fitting having a first section engaging the opening in the outer tank, a first pipe section extending from a first opening in the first section into engagement with the opening in the inner tank and a second pipe section extending from the same opening in the first section on the opposite side thereof, and a second opening in the first section uncovered by the inner tank, a drain pipe extending in the space between the tanks and engaging the second opening in the drain fitting, pipe means engaging the opening in the outer tank in communication with the drain pipe and extending through the insulation layer on the outer tank, and a pipe within the-pipe means engaging the second pipe section of the drain fitting.

10. In combination, a first tank having an opening in the bottom thereof, a second tank containing the first tank and having an opening in the bottom thereof, and a fitting having a first section engaging the opening in the bottom of the second tank and provided with a pair of openings, one of which is offset laterally from the first tank, said fitting also having a pipe section extending from the other opening into engagement with the opening in the bottom of the first tank.

11. The combination as set forth in claim 10, including a pipe engaging the opening in the fitting offset laterally from the inner tank and extending upwardly from the bottom of the second tank between the sides of the tank.

12. In combination, inner and outer tanks, each having an opening in the bottom thereof, there being a space between the sides of the tanks, a fitting extending between the openings and providing a passage from the bottom of the inner tank through the bottom of the outer tank and having an opening separate from the passage providing a drain for the outer tank and having its axis extending through and along the space between the sides of the tanks.

13. The combination as specified in claim 12, including a pipe engaging the said opening in the fitting and extending upwardly in the space between the sides of the tanks.

HENRY SCHMIDT, 

